Top fire chief condemns attacks on firefighters

Attacks on firefighters who are working hard to protect communities during Bonfire season will not be tolerated, says a top fire chief.

Assistant Chief Officer Lewis Ramsay hit out after crews were last year targeted by missiles and fireworks in the course of their duties.

Crews across Edinburgh and Bathgate in particular were targeted several times in one night.

The attacks came on the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service’s busiest night of the year.

Firefighters across the country responded to 330 unofficial bonfires on November 5, 2017 - while Operations Control dealt with hundreds of calls.

ACO Ramsay said: “Our firefighters’ main purpose is to save lives. These firefighters are your father, mother, brother or sister – someone’s family. It beggars belief when I hear that they have either been physically assaulted or verbally abused when trying to assist their communities.

“But is often down to a very small minority of individuals within those communities.

“I would like to take this opportunity to stress once again that this will not be tolerated because our firefighters absolutely do not deserve to be met with such behaviour.”

ACO Ramsay warned that such criminal action would be taken extremely seriously and vowed to work with police partners to ensure those responsible are identified and held to account.

Latest statistics from 20016/2017 show 61 firefighters were involved in incidents where they were physically or verbally abused or had objects thrown at the fire engines, causing injuries to seven staff.

Last year, crews in Edinburgh needed police protection when they attended unorganised bonfires over the course of two separate incidents.

Police had to escort the crew to extinguish the fires. No injuries were sustained by the firefighters and the fire engines were undamaged.

But ACO Ramsay said: “Attacks on emergency responders are completely unacceptable and I am sure the public would be outraged by incidents where their firefighters have been targeted while working to protect people and property.

“This type of behaviour not only prevents our crews from bringing any emergency to a safe and swift conclusion, but it can impact on our emergency service colleagues, including the police when they have to escort us at the scene.

“The communities of Scotland are all fantastic and they appreciate greatly the work of the fire service and we would urge the majority of law abiding residents to alert the police to any such reckless activity.”

To report such incidents, contact Police Scotland on 101 or alternatively through the anonymous Crimestoppers helpline on 0800 555 111.

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